


What Shouldn't Be Par For The Course

by arizonia1



Category: PBG Hardcore series, Terraria
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Being Impaled, Family Feels, Gen, Incineration, Looting the Dead, Lots of Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spoilers, Unexpected Casualty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 02:58:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10912911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arizonia1/pseuds/arizonia1
Summary: Little snippits of what happens just after someone dies in PBG Terraria Hardcore Season 3





	1. ProtonJon's Skull Was Crushed By Boulder

**Author's Note:**

> This should be updated every time there is a death in this season of Hardcore, but not guarantees.

_Chapter 1:_   
  
Of course the first death was the one no one actually got to bear witness to. In hindsight it might be better that way. Stewart let out a huge involuntary shudder seeing the mangled corpse of what used to be Jon. If anything, he took solace in that Jon’s death was probably pretty quick, so he didn’t suffer. Well, suffer more than what you’d expect out of someone getting crushed by a boulder.   
  
The cave where Jon was wasn’t too far from base. Damn it though, why did he go off on his own? He nearly got killed when the whole _group_ was together just yesterday against those antlions! Should have known better.   
  
“There it is. That’s where he died…” Stewart relayed to the group as he marked the area off on his map.   
  
A part of the older Hargrave felt absolutely disgusted over the fact he was looting Jon’s body for what he had, but the group _needs_ those supplies. His chestpiece was useless, it was practically part of Jon now, it was so crushed on his torso. The helmet and greaves were salvageable though. Stewart shuddered again as he took the helmet to see Jon’s face. Scratched and bloody, his glasses shattered and dug into his skin. The impact of the boulder colliding with him might have also crushed something in his chest, as there was blood slowing pooling into the dirt out of his mouth.   
  
“Sorry Jon, but we have to take this stuff.” Stewart apologizes as he starts looting other essentials off Jon.   
  
There was the spear he had, some potions, a couple bombs, those climbing claws, and other various things of questionable importance. Seriously, why did Jon have so much dirt on him? He had flaming arrows! He wasn’t even a damn archer!   
  
“Guys we have to do this for Jon!” Austin piped up, just as Stewart finished grabbing what was important. “This is his redemption!”   
  
Stewart questioned just how long it’ll take before the next casualty pops up. If the most careful of the group was cut down by a trap.


	2. SpaceHammy Fell to His Death

__ Chapter 2:   
  
The second death was even more jarring than the first. Jeff and Luke had just been hanging around. And just like  _ that _ Jeff’s life was cut short. The word spread immediately to the whole team of what just happened. Luke was stunned speechless and found himself immobilized just at the  _ sight _ of the now lifeless Jeff. He forced himself to look away as Stewart, Reese, and Dean rushed up to see what happened. The death came so fast that Luke didn’t even have time to process it.   
  
Everyone was still at base for Pete’s sake! How could this have happened!? Luke slowly sunk to his knees, unable to look at his lost friend. It was  _ his _ fault! He was sure of it. That hook he just gave him is now cursed! Why did he give it to him? Why? Why? WHY!?   
  
“Jeff… Oh my GOD dude! What the f-! NO!” Luke screamed out as he held his head in anguish. He could feel the tears building up as Dean asked him what happened.   
  
Luke continued his unending mantra of ‘no’ as Reese and Dean picked up Jeff’s items and started to sift through them. Stewart had picked up Jeff’s body and started walking off with him to go prep his grave. Reese herself was a little quiet, and was trying to not burst into tears. She had been pretty shook up when Jon died, and this seemed to hit her pretty hard to. Eventually Luke managed to stand up on shaking knees and slowly walk over to where Jeff had been before his legs failed once more and he sunk to his knees again. He turned his gaze again too, so he didn’t have to look at the displaced grass and dirt where Jeff had hit. Even that was too much.   
  
Slowly, Luke tried to make his way back into the house. His stomach was starting to do flips and surely,  __ surely he was going to be sick if he stayed there any longer. Thankfully, Dean accompanied him and helped him sit down once inside.    
  
After a bit longer, Luke finally gave the “cursed” Amethyst Hook to Stewart. It didn’t feel right though, the curse might just spread…


	3. Dum Dum Peebs Was Incinerated By Meteor

_Chapter 3:_   
  
All was calm, and then there was screaming as the third death rocked the entire team. Stewart and Dean fled the scene in terror immediately as Austin’s body erupted into flames. It came so suddenly, there wasn’t even a warning that Austin was going to perish. The remaining four fell silent once the initial shock died away. Stewart was the first to descend again, against his better judgement, to collect the belongings of his little brother. It was hard to look at his corpse, almost impossible, as any uncovered skin was charred.   
  
“He was probably touching the fucking wall!” Dean shouted as he followed Stewart back into the crater.   
  
“Oh my god…” Luke muttered softly.   
  
Reese gulped a little and stopped to sit on the ground, her legs turning to jelly. “It happens _that fast_?”   
  
After a brief discussion of just how fast the Meteorite was capable of killing the unprepared, Stewart finally found his voice again. Watching his little brother die right in front of him made it difficult for him to find words. He chided the other remaining three about taking this mission too casually, only for Reese to argue that she had nothing to do with this. Now was not the time though for petty argument! It was Austin’s fault for not paying attention as the Meteorite started to incinerate him. Regardless of that, Stewart forced himself to continuously return to the crater to pick up his brother’s valuables. Luke had taken it upon himself to at least retrieve the corpse, at least to take that burden off the elder Hargrave’s shoulders.   
  
It wasn’t much longer though before the team decided it was best to leave. Stewart really needed to sit down, he still hasn’t quite come to terms that his brother just _died_ , and he was sure he was going to collapse when it finally hits him. How does Reese cope with Jon being dead? It’s been less than a week and she seems to be back to her usual self, maybe she can share some of her coping wisdom.   
  
Once everyone was back at home, Stewart gazed up at the roof of the house. That little room with Austin’s piggy bank was still up there. He felt bad now, making fun of his little brother for being so protective of it. Was it too late to apologize?   
  
Maybe at the funeral…


	4. Balmung Got Impaled

_ Chapter 4: _ __   
__   
If watching someone ignite in a flurry of flames was the worst thing to see this week, then getting rained on by a shower of blood is probably the second worst. Tensions were suddenly very high as Luke, Stewart, and Reese were left a couple miles underground in the dungeon with Dean’s fresh corpse. Reese herself wanted to leave ASAP, but Stewart insisted they grab his supplies.   
  
Reese shuddered as she frantically started sifting through Dean’s things. She had to work fast to figure out what was important, and what to throw out. Luke and Stewart were trying to cover her so she doesn’t get slaughtered in the meantime. That doesn’t ease the situation any as the Dungeon is filled to the absolute brim with the angry undead. Thankfully, it didn’t take her long to pick up some of his more important essentials before the others deemed it time to book it back to base. It took a second for Luke to dislodge Dean from the spike that had ruthlessly stolen his life, but at least he’ll be properly buried.   
  
Once back at base Stewart and Reese wandered into the house, the former now carrying Dean to the graveyard. Luke, on the other hand, wore a forlorn expression as he blamed himself, once again, for the untimely death for one of his companions. Of course it was the one set of spikes they didn’t wall off!   
  
Reese watched Luke walk to the doorway behind her before she wandered out to the sunflower patch on the east side of the house. She rested a hand on the support post as she mourned, taking this about as well as she had taken Jon’s death. Of everyone, she was probably closest to Dean compared to the others, only know to have both him and her beloved ripped away from her. This world was truly one of crimson colored destruction. It takes no prisoners, only mercilessly slaughters the innocent.   
  
Everyone slowly started dividing up what used to belong to Dean among themselves, as to honor him and make sure they did not go to waste. After getting her share, Reese went to sit down, her legs weak, heart racing, and stomach flipping. She doubts she’ll be sleeping easy at all for the next while. Perhaps… perhaps a cup of tea will at least cloud her thoughts for a while… 


	5. Closure

_ Epilogue _   
  
All things considered, everyone was surprised how quiet the world can be once all the chaos and carnage finally came to an end. They had done it. They won. The terrifying Wall of Flesh was slain by the three Heroes of the land. Once arriving back at home it was finally time to take a well deserved rest.   
  
Stewart was the first to hang up his helmet once returning to base. He ascended happily to the roof of the house and walked into the little abode of his little brother’s piggy bank. In pure bliss he told the little pig about how he’s happy to see him again, saying “I told you I’d come back!” before realizing he was crying. He finally turned the scourge of this land to ash, and now the spirit of Austin can rest easy. It was comforting, Stewart thought, to be at peace now that he knows his little brother didn’t die for nothing. Sure, he’s still going to poke fun at how silly Austin’s death had been, but it still wasn’t for nothing. This was his way of getting closure, since he never really did take a lot of time to mourn. He had to carry the team, through thick and thin, and be their guide. Though, after all this excitement, Stewart feels he needs a vacation…   
  
Reese, just as elated as Stewart over their victory, was the next to set down her weapons. Taking a calming breath to settle the adrenaline, Reese figured it was time to fix some tea in celebration. After getting the water boiling she set down four cups and poured one for everyone. She saw Luke give her a questioning look at first before she simply smiled and took two of the cups with her outside. Reese sighed a little, out of being both jovial and crestfallen, as she looked upon Jon’s grave before setting down his cup and taking a seat. Closing her eyes in content she asks Jon if he saw their battle, and if he was happy everything was finally put to rest. Her eyes were stinging a little as Reese didn’t want to find herself crying a river. It was finally her time to relax, even if it meant grieving just a tiny bit. She knew she was talking basically to the wind with a cooling cup of tea, but she was giving herself closure. It helped even just a little, and she figures she should talk to Dean as well, but right now it was between her and Jon.   
  
Luke smiled sadly watching Reese sit down to talk to Jon’s grave. He figured he’d do that for Jeff in a little bit, but right now he wanted to take time to sit down. After putting his weapons and armor away Luke went up to the roof and sat down on the ledge, the steaming hot cup of tea resting between his hands. Peering out on the horizon he could see the morning light filtering through the great branches of the World Tree. It was over and now everyone can finally have closure. Being this high up is his way of saying to Jeff “I did it buddy”. If Stewart could talk to a ceramic pig, and Reese a headstone, then he could talk to the sky. He still blames himself for Jeff’s unfortunate demise, but at least it wasn’t for nothing in the end. The need to settle everything once and for all, not just for himself, but for his fallen friend was what kept Luke going. That feeling of somber pleasure in the end made it worthwhile. His friends may not be coming back, but Luke knows he needs to live out his life to the fullest now that their quest is done.   
  
The sun rose brightly on the first day of peace the world has seen in a long time.


End file.
